Prime minister Jacinda Ardern has revealed that the New Zealand government will make a $5000 donation to charity, as a wedding gift for prince Harry and wife-to-be Meghan Markle.

The hefty sum will go to Pillars – a charity which supports the children of prisoners. The couple had asked that, in lieu of gifts, donations be made to chosen charities.

“Prince Harry & Ms. Meghan Markle are incredibly grateful for the goodwill they have received since their engagement, & have asked that anyone who might wish to mark the occasion of their wedding considers giving to charity, instead of sending a gift,” read a statement on Twitter from Kensington Palace.

“The couple have personally chosen 7 charities which represent a range of issues that they are passionate about, including sport for social change, women’s empowerment, conservation, the environment, homelessness, HIV and the Armed Forces.”

The seven charities are Chiva (Children’s HIV Association); Crisis (which helps people who are homeless); the Myna Mahila Foundation (which empowers women in the slums of Mumbai); Scotty’s Little Soldiers (which supports children who have lost a parent while serving in the British Armed Forces); StreetGames (which uses sport to empower young people); Surfers Against Sewage (a marine conservation charity); and The Wilderness Foundation UK.

“The couple are both very interested in initiatives that support vulnerable children and young people,” said Ardern.